Author: Brandon Thurston

I've been researching and writing about the business of WWE and other companies since 2015. In 2020, I self-published and sold a thorough report on the wrestling industry. I doubt there's anyone in the world outside of WWE who's spent as much time studying the company's published SEC filings, key metrics, and other corporate information ... Research firms contract me to provide consultations to WWE investors. I provide consulting to wrestling companies, including IWTV ... Financial analysts, reporters, and decision-makers with other wrestling companies frequently seek me out to better understand WWE's business and the industry overall.

New Japan Pro-Wrestling business update following Bushiroad annual report FY2020

New Japan Pro-Wrestling's parent company, Bushiroad, Inc., released its annual report on Monday for its fiscal year ending July 31, 2020. Revenues for Bushiroad's sports division, largely supported by New Japan, were down slightly. FY2018: 4.891 billion yen = $47 million USDFY2019: 5.333 billion yen = $51 million USDFY2020: 5.021 billion yen = $48 million … Continue reading New Japan Pro-Wrestling business update following Bushiroad annual report FY2020 →

Donald and Vince, Vince and Donald

Yes, the two billionaires collaborated at Wrestlemania events in 1988, 1989, and 2007. And, yes, Linda McMahon was appointed to head the Small Business Administration; and, yes, she now chairs and heavily donates to the president's official SuperPAC. Yes, they're both known for telling people, "You're fired," on TV. Yes, they both inherited power from … Continue reading Donald and Vince, Vince and Donald →

The Wrestling Boom Opportunity the Industry Missed

What if the biggest economic booms in wrestling aren’t just about creating stars? Common Wrestlenomics wisdom tells us economics in the industry are largely a result of star power promoted through strong media distribution. But what if there’s another more important factor that comes first, from which stars are created almost as a side effect? … Continue reading The Wrestling Boom Opportunity the Industry Missed →

All Elite Wrestling SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

This follows up on the recently posted WWE SWOT Analysis. STRENGTHS (INTERNAL -- HELPFUL) Leadership with credibility in sports and media: AEW President Tony Khan’s credibility from working for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham FC was likely a great help to allowing AEW to get TV deals in the U.S. (WarnerMedia) and the U.K. (Sky … Continue reading All Elite Wrestling SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats →

WWE SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

What's a SWOT analysis? (Wikipedia) STRENGTHS (INTERNAL -- HELPFUL) Wide margin leader in name ID among pro wrestling brands: WWE has well-established global appeal and distribution. If you know any pro wrestling brand, you likely know WWE. Its programming is on TV in many countries around the world, more widely than any wrestling brand. Pre-Covid, … Continue reading WWE SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats →

WWE Q3 2020 Estimate: Enter The Thunderdome

How will WWE’s Thunderdome production affect the company’s financial outlook? WWE's new "Thunderdome" production, which debuted Friday, is the company's latest response to slumping ratings of Raw and Smackdown. Those two programs, highly valued by NBCUniversal and Fox, respectively, have been challenged for at least a few years, but have been especially hit since the … Continue reading WWE Q3 2020 Estimate: Enter The Thunderdome →